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October 26, 2026
42 min read mins read 
0 Comments Last updated: 26 Oct, 2026. Reviewed by Rajat, eBetterBooks Technical Content Manager.
Key Takeaways
When QuickBooks Enterprise Advanced Inventory is not working, check three things in order. First, your plan: only Enterprise Platinum and Diamond include it. Second, the inventory preference that must be on. Third, the license data, which can leave the Advanced Inventory Settings button greyed out until you sync it. Each check starts with the clicks.
Need it working today? Call 1-802-778-9005 or send the details with the no-login form on this page. Include your product name and version (press F2), your Enterprise plan if you know it, what the Advanced Inventory Settings button does, and how many computers show the problem. Support hours: Monday through Friday, 24 hours a day.
Flowchart for QuickBooks Enterprise Advanced Inventory not working: press F2 and read the product; Pro, Premier or Silver means it is not in your plan; Gold means sync once, then confirm the plan with Intuit; Platinum or Diamond leads to the inventory preference; if the box is clear, turn it on; if the Advanced Inventory Settings button is greyed out, sync license data and reopen QuickBooks; if the button opens, switch on the feature’s tab; if it stays greyed out and syncs on other computers, repair this computer; if it fails everywhere, send the details
QuickBooks Enterprise Advanced Inventory is not working for one of three documented reasons: your plan does not include it, the inventory preference is off, or the Advanced Inventory Settings button is greyed out because license data has not synced. It can also fail on one computer only, or on a version too old to support it.
| What you see | Likely cause | Where to go |
|---|---|---|
| You run Pro, Premier, a Plus version, or a Mac version | The product does not include Advanced Inventory | Plan section |
| Enterprise Silver | The plan pages list the feature for Platinum and Diamond only | Plan section |
| Enterprise Gold | The plan pages leave Gold out, but some help pages list it | Greyed-out button: sync once, then confirm the plan with Intuit |
| The Inventory and Purchase Orders are Active box is clear | The preference is off | Turn on Advanced Inventory |
| The button is there but greyed out, on Platinum or Diamond | License data has not synced | Greyed-out button |
| It works on one computer and not another | A problem on the failing computer | One computer only |
| It worked before and stopped, or a pop-up about it appears at sign-in | Not documented; check the plan and sync first | Stopped working |
| Enterprise 2016 or another version that has lost support | The feature is no longer available on 2016; other old versions may be the same | Stopped working |
| Scans do nothing after setup | A scanner problem, not this one | barcode scanner guide |
Open QuickBooks and open your company file.
Press F2 (or Ctrl + 1).
Read the product name and version. In this guide, version means the year label F2 shows for your QuickBooks.
You see: a Product Information window with the product name, version, license number, and product number.
If it fails: if nothing opens, close QuickBooks, open it again, and press F2 while it starts. If it still does not open after two attempts, stop and send the details with the no-login form on this page, or call 1-802-778-9005.
This guide tells you whether your Enterprise plan includes Advanced Inventory before you spend time on settings, then gives the clicks to turn it on, clear a greyed-out button, and fix one computer that lags behind. It also shows how to turn features off safely and when to stop and hand off.
Barcode scans that fail after setup belong to the barcode scanner guide. License error numbers belong to the Enterprise license error guide. Inventory quantities, costs and accounting choices need your accountant.
Advanced Inventory is included in the QuickBooks Enterprise Platinum and Diamond plans only. It is not part of Silver, Pro, Premier, the Plus versions, or Mac. Gold owners should confirm with Intuit before buying anything. Press F2 to read your product name, then confirm the plan from your purchase records or with Intuit.
Plan rule checked on October 20, 2026. Intuit can change its plans, so check the current Enterprise plan page before you buy.
| Product or plan | Advanced Inventory |
|---|---|
| Pro, Premier, Plus versions, Mac | Not available |
| Enterprise Silver | Not included |
| Enterprise Gold | Not listed on the plan pages; sync once, then confirm with Intuit |
| Enterprise Platinum | Included |
| Enterprise Diamond | Included |
Cycle counts sit inside Advanced Inventory, and sales order fulfillment, pick, pack and ship, expiration dates, and landed cost are Platinum and Diamond features too. Barcode scanners are sold separately from the plan.
Some QuickBooks help pages also list Gold, which conflicts with the plan pages. A Gold owner can safely run the license sync once, then should confirm the plan with Intuit before buying anything.
Enterprise plans and Advanced Inventory: Silver not included, Gold not listed on the plan pages so sync once and confirm with Intuit, Platinum included, Diamond included; Pro, Premier, Plus versions and Mac not available; scanners sold separately
With the company file open, press F2 (or Ctrl + 1) and read the first line of the Product Information window.
You see: Pro, Premier or Enterprise in the product name.
Look for Silver, Gold, Platinum or Diamond in the same window. The plan name may not appear there.
If the window does not name your plan, check the plan named on your purchase or renewal records. If you still cannot tell, ask Intuit: on current versions, select Help, then QuickBooks Desktop Help/Contact Us, then Contact Us.
Product Information window opened with F2: the product name and version line is highlighted, license and product number rows are grey sample bars, and a dashed box notes that the plan name may not appear here
You may also see Advanced Inventory described as something you buy or subscribe to on its own. The plan pages list it inside Platinum and Diamond. If the two disagree for your account, ask Intuit which applies before you pay for anything.
You see: your product and plan named, or a clear question ready for Intuit.
If it fails: if you cannot open QuickBooks or find the plan after two attempts, stop and send the details with the no-login form on this page, or call 1-802-778-9005.
To turn on Advanced Inventory in QuickBooks Enterprise Platinum or Diamond, back up the company file, then select Edit, Preferences, Items & Inventory, and the Company Preferences tab. Select the Inventory and Purchase Orders are Active box, select Advanced Inventory Settings, and switch on the feature you need on its own tab.
Do this on the computer that holds the company file, as the Admin user (the main login that can set up users), when nobody else is working in it.
You see: a confirmation message, and a backup file that ends in .qbb. If the backup fails, stop and use the form.
File menu with Switch to Single-user Mode and Back up Company, Create Local Backup highlighted, then the Local Backup, Browse and Save it now windows
When you finish, if other people share this file, select File, Switch to Multi-user Mode.
Select Edit, then Preferences.
You see: the Preferences window, with categories listed on the left.
Select Items & Inventory on the left, then the Company Preferences tab. If you land on My Preferences, switch tabs.
Select the Inventory and Purchase Orders are Active box. If it is already selected, leave it.
Select Advanced Inventory Settings.
You see: the Advanced Inventory Settings window, with each feature on its own tab.
If the button is greyed out: on Platinum or Diamond, select Help, Manage My License, Sync License Data Online, then close and reopen QuickBooks and try Step 4 again.
Preferences window with Items & Inventory selected on the left, the Company Preferences tab active, the Inventory and Purchase Orders are Active box selected as step 1, and the Advanced Inventory Settings button greyed out as step 2 with a note to sync the license data
Each feature has its own box:
Select the box for the one feature you need now.
Select OK in Advanced Inventory Settings, then OK in Preferences.
Advanced Inventory Settings window with a row of tabs: an unlabeled first tab for the sites box, then Serial/Lot Numbers, FIFO, Barcodes and Site Operations; each feature’s box is listed beside its tab name, with an OK button; tab order is illustrative
Select File, then Switch to Single-user Mode. When you finish, if other people share this file, select File, Switch to Multi-user Mode.
Select Edit, Preferences, Items & Inventory, Company Preferences, then Advanced Inventory Settings.
Select Multiple Location Inventory (or Multiple Inventory Sites is enabled).
The first time, a dropdown asks for an inventory site. Pick one, then select Continue and OK. All your stock starts in this temporary site until you transfer it to real sites.
If other people use the file, switch back to multi-user mode.
First-time sites dialog: a dropdown to choose an inventory site is highlighted, with Continue and OK buttons, and a note that the site is a temporary starting site where stock sits until transfers are made
You see: the feature’s fields or columns where you work. For sites, Lists now offers Inventory Site List.
If it fails: two attempts, then stop and send the details with the form, or call 1-802-778-9005.
On Enterprise Platinum or Diamond, a greyed-out Advanced Inventory Settings button is a documented sign that license data has not synced, even after purchase. Select Help, Manage My License, Sync License Data Online, then reopen QuickBooks. On Pro, Premier or Silver, the plan is the cause. On Gold, sync once, then confirm the plan with Intuit.
The sync refreshes this computer’s license data. Back up before any repair step in this section.
Select Help, then hover over Manage My License.
Select Sync License Data Online. Follow any prompt that appears.
You see: a message when the sync finishes. Write down its exact words.
Help menu open with Manage My License and its submenu, and Sync License Data Online highlighted as the third click; other menu items are grey bars and their order may differ
Select Edit, Preferences, Items & Inventory, Company Preferences, and look at Advanced Inventory Settings.
Close QuickBooks fully, open it again, and open the same company file.
Repeat Step 3.
You see: Advanced Inventory Settings opens its window when you select it.
For more on license sync, see QuickBooks unable to sync license.
Do this on the computer that holds the company file, as the Admin user (the main login that can set up users).
You see: a confirmation message, and a backup file that ends in .qbb. If the backup fails, stop and use the form.
Close QuickBooks, open QuickBooks Tool Hub, select Program Problems, then Quick Fix my Program, and let it finish.
Restart the computer, open QuickBooks, and run Help, Manage My License, Sync License Data Online again.
If the button is still greyed out, run the Program Diagnostic Tool from Tool Hub, then repeat Step 2. If it reports Windows component errors, such as .NET Framework, stop: that repair can get complicated, and the computer maker is the right first contact.
You see: Advanced Inventory Settings opens. If it is still greyed out after two attempts, stop and send the details with the form.
When Advanced Inventory works on one computer and not another, start with the failing computer. Sync the license data there, confirm it is online, and confirm it runs the same QuickBooks version as the others. If the sync fails only there, repair QuickBooks on that computer with Tool Hub, after a backup.
A workstation is any computer, other than the one that holds the company file, that opens the file. Every copy of QuickBooks that opens the file must be the same version. If you are unsure at any point, stop and send the details with the no-login form on this page.
On the computer where Advanced Inventory works, press F2 and write down the product name and version.
Do the same on the failing computer.
You see: the same product name and version on both.
If they differ: bring the failing computer to the same version first. See the Enterprise update problems guide.
On the failing computer, open a web page to confirm it is online. Advanced Inventory needs an internet connection.
On the failing computer, with the same company file open, select Help, Manage My License, Sync License Data Online.
Close QuickBooks, open it again, and select Edit, Preferences, Items & Inventory, Company Preferences.
You see: Advanced Inventory Settings opens. If it does, stop here.
Do this before the repair, on the computer that holds the company file, as the Admin user (the main login that can set up users).
You see: a confirmation message, and a backup file that ends in .qbb. If the backup fails, stop and use the form.
Close QuickBooks on the failing computer.
Open QuickBooks Tool Hub. Use the current version from Intuit.
Select Program Problems, then Quick Fix my Program. Let it finish.
Restart the computer, open QuickBooks, and run Help, Manage My License, Sync License Data Online again.
If the button is still greyed out, run the Program Diagnostic Tool from Tool Hub, then repeat Step 4. If it reports Windows component errors, such as .NET Framework, stop: that repair can get complicated, and the computer maker is the right first contact.
You see: Advanced Inventory Settings opens on both computers.
If it fails: two attempts, then stop and send the details with the form. If the company file will not open on that computer at all, treat that as a separate problem first: see the Database Server Manager guide.
If Advanced Inventory stopped working on a file that used it, first check that the plan and version still support it, then sync the license data. One user reported a pop-up about Advanced Inventory at sign-in, with no documented cause. Record what you see and send the details if a sync does not clear it.
Press F2 and write down the product name and version.
Confirm the plan is still Platinum or Diamond on your purchase or renewal records. If the plan changed, only Platinum and Diamond include the feature.
Select Help, Manage My License, Sync License Data Online.
Close QuickBooks, open it again, and open the same company file.
Select Edit, Preferences, Items & Inventory, Company Preferences, then Advanced Inventory Settings, and see whether your feature’s box is still selected.
Write down the exact words of any pop-up, the date it started, any recent change to the plan or license, and which computers show it.
You see: the feature stays on after you reopen the file.
If it fails: two attempts, then stop and send the details with the no-login form on this page, or call 1-802-778-9005.
You can turn Advanced Inventory off one feature at a time in Advanced Inventory Settings by clearing each feature’s box. Turning off multiple sites hides site data rather than deleting it, and barcodes stay in the file. Effects on serial, lot and FIFO data are not described, so back up first and ask your accountant about FIFO.
Do this on the computer that holds the company file, as the Admin user (the main login that can set up users).
You see: a confirmation message, and a backup file that ends in .qbb. If the backup fails, stop and use the form.
Select Edit, Preferences, Items & Inventory, Company Preferences, then Advanced Inventory Settings.
To turn Advanced Inventory off completely, clear every feature you use.
Select OK in Advanced Inventory Settings, OK in Preferences, then OK on the warning.
| Feature turned off | What happens |
|---|---|
| Multiple sites | Site columns, fields and reports disappear. The site data is hidden, not deleted. |
| Barcodes | Barcodes stay in the company file. |
| Serial or lot numbers | Not described; keep the backup. |
| FIFO | Not described; ask your accountant. |
If you turn multiple sites back on later, entries made while it was off go to a temporary site first, and you transfer them from there.
You see: the cleared features no longer show where you work.
If it fails: two attempts, then stop and send the details with the form, or call 1-802-778-9005.
Get expert help when Advanced Inventory Settings stays greyed out after a sync and restart on a confirmed Platinum or Diamond plan, when the sync fails on several computers, or when features switch back off. Also stop when a repair tool reports Windows component errors, or when the plan on record is unclear.
Intuit’s own support is included for active Enterprise subscribers. Versions that have lost support get help with upgrading only. To reach Intuit on current versions, select Help, QuickBooks Desktop Help/Contact Us, then Contact Us. Intuit’s plan does not cover help given alongside an outside IT expert. For the full picture, see the Enterprise support hub.
Note your product name and version (press F2), your plan if known, what the Advanced Inventory Settings button does, whether you ran the sync and on how many computers, whether a provider hosts QuickBooks, and whether a backup exists.
Get help with Advanced Inventory. Call 1-802-778-9005 or send the details with the no-login form on this page. Do not send passwords in the first message. Support hours: Monday through Friday, 24 hours a day. Specialists use a secure, industry-standard remote desktop application to diagnose and work on the problem directly on your computer. Never share passwords during a remote session, and close the remote tool when the work is done.
Allow remote access only to a provider you contacted yourself.
Users ask these ten follow-up questions once they know the basics of the plan rule and the license sync. Each answer ends with a narrowing question and what each reply means, so you can pick the exact next step for your setup. If your case does not fit, send the details with the no-login form on this page.
No. Advanced Inventory is an Enterprise feature, and Premier, Pro and the Plus versions do not include it. Inside Enterprise it is part of the Platinum and Diamond plans only. A setting, update or repair in Premier will not unlock it, so check the plan before you spend time on settings.
To narrow it down: do you need multiple locations, serial or lot numbers, or FIFO now? If yes, price Enterprise Platinum or Diamond with Intuit before any move. If no, stay on Premier and save the cost.
Users report this after buying: the trial showed Advanced Inventory and the bought copy did not. The cause is not documented, so check two things. First, which plan you bought, because only Platinum and Diamond include the feature. Second, whether the license data has synced since the purchase.
Before you change anything: does your purchase record say Platinum or Diamond? If yes, run Sync License Data Online and reopen QuickBooks. If no, ask Intuit about moving to a plan that includes it.
Multiple sites does: the first time you turn it on, all stock starts in one temporary site until you transfer it. For the other features, one vendor says existing records stay as they are, but this guide cannot confirm that, so make a backup before you change any setting.
Your answer decides the next step: are you turning on multiple sites? If yes, plan the transfers and pick a quiet time. If no, back up, then turn on the one feature you need.
No. Enterprise 2016 has lost support, and Advanced Inventory is no longer available on it. Versions that have lost support get Intuit help with upgrading only. Treat any offer to unlock the feature on an old version as unreliable. Moving to a supported Enterprise version is the route back to Advanced Inventory.
To plan the move: does your file hold years of inventory history you must keep? If yes, plan the upgrade with a backup and expert help. If no, upgrade and turn the feature on afterward.
No. Barcode scanners are sold separately from the Enterprise plan. Advanced Inventory gives you the barcode setting; the scanner itself is your purchase. Before you buy one, confirm that your plan is Platinum or Diamond and that the barcode box can be selected in Advanced Inventory Settings.
Before you buy hardware: is the barcode box already selected and scanning still does nothing? If yes, the barcode scanner guide on this site covers it. If no, turn barcodes on with the barcode scanner guide, which includes the Barcode Wizard.
No. Advanced Inventory needs an internet connection, and so does the license sync that clears a greyed-out button. If your office loses its connection often, plan for that before you rely on the feature, and test it on the computer that will use it most.
To check your setup: does the computer that fails have reliable internet access? If yes, sync the license data on it. If no, fix the connection first, then sync.
Single-user mode is required for turning on multiple inventory sites. For the other features, no requirement is documented. The backup you make first also starts in single-user mode, so switching once, backing up, and changing every setting in one sitting keeps it simple.
Before you start: are you turning on multiple sites? If yes, switch to single-user mode first and plan the stock transfers. If no, back up, then change the setting.
It can be. The FIFO tab has a box you can clear, yet at least one vendor describes FIFO as one-way in practice, and what happens to cost data when you clear it is not described. Treat turning FIFO on as an accounting decision, not a setting to try and undo later.
To decide safely: has your accountant approved FIFO for this file? If yes, back up and turn it on. If no, leave the box clear until they have.
No. Community posts have pointed readers to individuals offering a workaround, including on versions that have lost support. Nothing documents such a workaround, and using the feature without a plan that includes it means using it without a license. It can also put your company file in a stranger’s hands.
To decide: did you contact this provider yourself, through a known business? If yes, ask them to confirm that the change runs through your Intuit plan. If they contacted you, end the conversation and share nothing.
The plan rule is the same: only Platinum and Diamond include Advanced Inventory. How the feature, the inventory preference and the license sync behave on a hosted copy is not covered in the help pages checked for this guide, so the hosting provider is the first contact before you change Preferences.
To pick the right contact: does a hosting provider run QuickBooks for you? If yes, ask the provider to check the plan and the license sync. If no, follow the steps in this guide on your own computer.
